5 things

5 places I have always wanted to visit:

1. Montana
2. Ireland
3. Maine
4. Boston
5. London

Happy Leap Day!

You have my admiration

Working mothers. This term is a little bit redundant, as most mothers work -- whether it is at a conventional job or at home.

Seriously, how do they manage their lives?

This week I have been working extra hours (yeah!) and teaching the Beginning Computer Class for adults and I think I lost my mind somewhere between Monday and Tuesday.

Yesterday, I had every moment planned -- not including travel time. Needless to say I was running about 5 minutes late all day. I hate being late. If nothing else I like to be 15 minutes early.

Then about 7 o'clock last night I had to stop and think about what day it was -- Monday or Wednesday.

I didn't have to think about children or a husband throughout all of this. Which makes me wonder if I could have. Maybe I will have to take a moment and think about this question in a couple days when I have a moment.

Dodged a bullet

Needless anticipation. ::Sigh::

I wasted all that effort yesterday worrying about a snow/freezing rain storm that by-passed us completely. Now if I lived about 100 miles to the south I would be telling a different story right now. Either way the worry was needless. I couldn't change the outcome. Despite any latent childhood dream to be about to control the weather, I have not yet developed that talent. :-)

I would have had to deal with results of the storm just as I am dealing with the beauty of the sun shining. Well, not exactly the same. The storm results would have lead to excessive complaining and sore shoveling arms.

I don't think I am an excessive worrier. Which is a miracle considering some of the genes I inherited. But I still worry sometimes. I think that is one of the things I should try to work on.

Now . . . how exactly should I go about that?

Unwelcome anticipation

I feel like I am on the edge of my seat or waiting for impending doom. I woke up with this feeling. You see, last night I had the foresight to watch the local news for the weather.

Bad idea.

Now I am waiting for the sky to fall.

They are predicting freezing rain and up to three inches of snow. Many school districts to the south of us have canceled school or are dismissing early.

So far so good here. Except for that unwelcome anticipation.

Bah.

5 things

5 of my favorite animals (in no particular order):

1. Horses
2. Calves
3. Dogs
4. Panda bears
5. Cleo

Mind-boggling

The brain is an amazing organ. I was just doing a little research for this blog and spent about 5 minutes reading about the brain and learned about 10 new things.

• For instance did you know the human brain contains more than one hundred billion nerve cells. My brain can't even comprehend this number!
  
• Each of theses cells can make connections to other cells (up to tens of thousands of connections per cell!). Amazing.
  
• Every second of our lives at least a million new connections are formed. Mind-boggling.
  

I was thinking about "brains" because I am teaching a beginning computer class for older adults two times per week. During the teaching process I am realizing how much I have actually learned about computers since I started using computers. I look at my students (all excellent learners, btw!) and I think "I was where they are at one time."

Computers are only one part of my life. I have so many other things I have learned up to this point. So many things I don't know. And so many things that I will learn in the future.

I think I might need a bigger brain!

(More brain info!)

Wintery weather

This is a photo of the tunnel I dug to the street. All so I could get my car out of my driveway. Of course this photo was taken before the last snowfall of 6-8 inches.


Isn't this pretty? It is the view out of one of my living room windows.

Jealousy rears its ugly head

My parents are going on vacation tomorrow. I'm not really jealous of the vacation -- although I wouldn't mind a vacation -- I am more jealous of the location.

FLORIDA

Where there is no snow to shovel. No icy roads to navigate. No scarves, hats, gloves, and heavy coats to wear.

Mmmm . . . only in my dreams.

Whoa, nellie!

Okay, I have been busy. This post is late. Sorry. Although I have no accountability but to myself.

I had a nice weekend though. No work on Saturday so I caught up on a couple of the shows I have been recording and cleaned a little.

Sunday I woke up to the call that church was canceled due to weather. I looked out the window -- and yep it was snowing. Not only that but there was (and still is) a nice sheet of ice under the snow.

So I really didn't do anything on Sunday either, except watch it snow.

Monday & Tuesday have been catch up days. Shoveling, running errands, shoveling, teaching computer class, shoveling, working, shoveling.

Did I mention shoveling? :-)

5 things I want to be in 15 years

1. A better friend
2. A better neighbor
3. A better daughter
4. A better sister
5. A better Christian
   

Happy Valentine's Day

So Valentine's Day -- the day we celebrate love.

For singles, though it is something else altogether.

• It's a reminder that we do not have someone to come home to at after a bad day and complain without fear.
  

• A reminder that we don't have someone to share the hardships and celebrations of life.
  

• A reminder that we won't be getting a sweet little note today about how much we are appreciated.

For many singles, that is what Valentine's Day is. For me, I am going to try to think of it as:

• A reminder that I don't have anyone to consult with before I do something I really want to do.

• A reminder I don't have anyone I need to pick up after.

• A reminder I don't have to watch where I'm sitting before I use the bathroom.

• A reminder I don't have to share the Oreo cookies!

But more than that I can remember that I do have people in this world that I love and that love me. So that will be my focus this Valentine's Day.

Brain freeze

Monday, everyone I talked to mentioned the snow we were supposed to get that night. EVERYONE. I went home from work at 8 pm -- no snow yet. I piddled around my house, got ready for bed, read a little and set my alarm. Nowhere in there did I think of snow.

I wake up -- after hitting snooze a couple times. And look out the window and say to myself, "Oh, (because I had forgotten it was supposed to snow) look it's not snowing."

I open the shade in the dining room and say, "Oh, but it did snow." Yeah, about 3 inches. I have no time to shovel my drive, so it's walk to work day.

All this to say that I walked home from work last night and shoveled my driveway. I really like shoveling my driveway at night. It is so quiet, and there are no snowblowers running nearby to cause my little heart to envy.

Bowlarama

On Sunday, our church had a bowling party for the Youth Group (7th - 12th grades) and the Adults. We had about 23 bowlers.

(I use the term bowlers very loosely here.) :-)

I think everyone had a lot of fun. I did anyway. We bowled three games. The first game was straight bowling. The second was nine-pin. This means if you get nine pins down on your first throw -- you get a strike.

I did better on the nine-pin than the straight bowling. I'm not sure if this was because I had practiced 10 frames prior to this game or if the nine-pin thing helped me.

The last game was the hardest. It was low-score. This means you want to get the least amount of pins down without getting a gutter ball. Gutters equal strikes and/or spares and strikes and spares equal strikes and spares. Needless to say, I bowled my highest score on the last game.

Despite the fact that I am a poor bowler I had a lot of fun. And it was inexpensive fun too!

Yes, Ms. Chris . . . heehee

Tonight is the second session of the computer class I am teaching. It is through the local community college adult education program. I and a library co-worker are teaching older adults how to use a computer.

Last Wednesday was the first class (due to last Monday's cancellation because of weather). It was really fun! We have two classes a week the rest of the month.

Learning is fun no matter what the age! Right??

Anyway, we are still discussing the basics of the computer -- the mouse and how to use it. Opening and closing programs etc. The class will go so far as to introduce Microsoft Word & Excel and learning to use the internet.

5 things I see myself having 15 years from now

1. A loving husband (who I haven't met yet)
2. At least one perfect child (and yes I do realize perfect is a relative word)
3. A vacation in Montana
4. A house (owning)
   
5. Lottery millions (JUST KIDDING) -- Contentment at the place I am at in my life.

Okay, so of the above five only the last one (the real one) is one I can actually see myself having. The rest are hopes & dreams.

Back in the "sing" of things

I know I am feeling better because I started singing with the radio on my way to work today.

I don't profess to be a great singer -- adequate is a better description. But singing seems to be a good indicator of my general well-being, physically as well as spiritually.

And today I was singing! Yeah! Still a few sniffles and a couple coughs but I can breath easy, my throat does not feel like it is on fire, and no stabbing pain in my brain!

It is a good day.

I have a new weekly project in mind (besides 5 things Fridays) but I don't want to implement it until I have at-home internet access. I seem to have enough trouble posting now as it is.

But I am excited about this project. I am hoping it will help me to be more aware of the world around me.

In the meantime . . .

Here is a part of the documentary I have been watching lately -- Planet Earth. It is an amazing film.

Busy Bee

I have been busy this week. And when I haven't I have been working -- so no internet! Blah.

I promise I will have some good posts soon.

Croaking

So this past weekend I have been fighting a cold. Friday I woke up with an extremely sore throat and then Saturday I started to get a cough.

I can be thankful that I didn't get stuffed up -- I hate getting stuffed up.

Yesterday and today my sore throat is gone but I have a wicked cough.

And today, ha, today I woke up croaking like a frog. I was a little worried because I was going to be teaching a beginning computers class tonight -- but it was canceled due to weather.

Rain & sleet.

I am going home to sleep!

5 things

5 favorite photos from last year:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

All is well?

I woke up with a scratchy throat this morning. I hate being sick. Thankfully, I am healthy most of the time.

I have been sucking on cough drops all day to keep the scratchiness at bay. Hopefully I will wake up tomorrow and all will be well.

Yeah, right. It never seems to work out that way.

I will have to drink lots of fluids, wear my hat when I go outside, and maybe have a little soup for supper.

I really hope I wake up tomorrow and all will be well!